Autumn Wind
by ShinigamiSparda
Summary: Part of an event on DA. A friend isn't just someone you get along with or someone you trust. A real friend friend is someone who can forgive you when you break that trust. Reviews welcome!


Autumn Wind

"_Here, take this. The gusts of wind are rather frequent today," she said while handing him a scarf._

"_Thanks," he answered, taking it and wrapping it around his neck._

"_And Souji-kun," she began._

"_Yes?"_

"_It'll be fine. Everything will end well."_

"… _I hope so."_

"_It shall Souji-kun. We have all forgiven you, we all believe you. So will he."_

"_Thank you, Naoto-chan."_

Souji remembered the words of assurance his wife gave him as he gazed at the parked motorcycle in front of him. Despite how all his closest friends and his loving wife had reconciled with him after the drunken reveal of his dark secret, a secret he hadn't even considered would affect him negatively, he was still scared beyond belief. This was the last one, the final relationship to be mended, but it was also one of his most important. They were all important, incredibly dear to him, and losing even one of them for good would be devastating to him, but this one even more so. The closest Link to him, aside from Naoto. His "Magician", his second-in-command, his closest friend. Slowly, methodically, almost painfully, he walked the short distance from the parked motorbike to the fence at the end of the cliff overlooking the town, _his _town, the only place he could ever truly call "home."

There he was, standing, waiting with his back turned to him. He had no doubt he had seen him drive on the road here, and he knew he noticed the crunching of the dead leaves under his feet. Still, he wouldn't turn to look at him. Souji cautiously approached, stopping next to him but still too afraid to actually turn and face him.

"So, you showed up," he said, the anger noticeable in his voice.

"Hey Yosuke," Souji replied.

There was a long silence between them, both waiting for each other to continue.

Yosuke broke the silence. "So, how's Naoto doing?"

"Good. No cases for a few months now, so she's got some free time."

"Hm," was his only response.

"So, how is Chie? Haven't seen her in a few weeks now."

"She's fine. Still studying for her Detective's Exam. Hopefully she'll pass this time."

"Yeah, I hope so too."

The long silence returned. After some more waiting it was Souji who broke the silence.

"So, are we just going to dance around this issue or-?"

"WHAT THE FUCK, MAN!" Yosuke blurted, finally turning towards him, anger burning in his eyes. "HOW COULD YOU JUST DROP A BOMB LIKE THAT ON US! 'SOCIAL LINKS!' 'RANKING UP!' THE HELL, MAN! I THOUGHT WE MEANT SOMETHING TO YOU!"

"You did! You _do_! You all do! That's the truth!"

Yosuke only scoffed. "How the hell am I supposed to believe that now, huh? And how the hell did you get everyone else to trust you again? Even Chie is telling me to ease off and listen. Just what the hell did you say to trick her, huh Mr. Smooth Talker?"

"I didn't trick her. I just told her the same thing I'm going to tell you. The same thing I told everyone else."

"And just what would that be, huh?"

"The truth."

"Oh? This I gotta hear."

Souji sighed and hung his head. He'd done this before, but all the same he couldn't keep himself from hesitating. Just like all the other times he explained it those painful emotions began to well up again. But he knew he had to say it.

"I… Do you know my parents?"

"Tch. No, but what the fuck does that-?"

"Neither do I."

"W-What?"

"I came to Inaba because my parents were both off on a business trip overseas for year."

"Yeah, I know, you told us when we first met."

"I know. What I didn't tell you was that wasn't anything new. I've been moved around from place to place or sent to live with relatives for extended periods of time ever since I was in middle school. Sometimes I was even moved in the middle of the school year."

"…Sounds rough," Yosuke responded, a hint of sincerity in his aggravated voice.

"It was. And not just because of the stress of moving. It also meant that the only constant thing in my life was that there was nothing constant. No hometown, no real friends, hell I couldn't really call my parents 'parents' considering how often I was alone. It seemed like every time I got close to someone I was destined to lose them, so at some point I decided that was going to stop. I did the only thing I could to keep myself from losing anyone important: Making it so I didn't have anyone important to lose in the first place."

Yosuke didn't say a word. Souji looked up to only to see his expression was neutral.

"I closed myself off from any real attachments," he continued. "Just be kind, polite, and get good grades and everything would work out fine. I wouldn't get close to anyone, but I wouldn't piss anyone off either. Not being a friend or an enemy to anyone, just an acquaintance. Just sort of… there." He turned and gazed over the side of the cliff, out towards the small town that looked so large from where he was standing. "That's who I was when I first came here. That's who I was when you met me, and when the murder case started. But it wasn't who I was when I left."

Yosuke snorted. "Please."

"I'm serious. I'll be honest though, when I first started working on my Social Links I was doing it just for the power boost, I won't lie about that. As far as I was concerned I was going to be separated from anybody I made a link with for good in a year anyway. I tried to help without getting close, but at some point, I don't know when, I just couldn't separate the two." He closed his eyes and exhaled sharply before continuing. "So many people, with so many different problems, insecurity, lack of direction with life, coming to terms with long standing issues. All of them so unique, and yet similar at the same time, all pouring their lives, their hopes and fears, all out to me. Me, the one guy who didn't want anything to do with anyone. Or maybe I did, and I just didn't know it. Before I knew it my Social Links weren't just classmates or people I knew from work who I got god-like power from. They stood for the people who became my real family. The girl who be my wife and lover," he opened his eyes and turned back to face Yosuke before concluding with. "The people who would be my closest friends."

Yosuke growled and turned away.

"The fusion benefits, the increases of your powers and mine, became secondary to me, a bonus. What really became important was the people represented by the arcanas. I may never have had to face a shadow, but I have no doubt that there was something lurking inside me when I got here. I helped you all overcome your shadows, but you also helped me overcome mine. I… I was finally able to care about someone else again."

"You finished?" he asked, glaring back at him.

Souji nodded. "That's everything. That's the truth."

"You expect me to believe that sob story?"

"All I expected was for you to listen. Whether or not you believe me, forgive me, and where we go from here is up to you."

"Just what are hoping will happen here, huh? What do you want from me?"

"What else? I want my best friend back."

The two simply stared at each other for what felt like ages. Then, before he could react, Souji was sent to the ground by a hard punch across his cheek, his glasses knocked off his face. Yosuke grabbed him by his collar before he could recover, pulling him so their gazes would meet.

"YOU SON OF BITCH! DO YOU KNOW HOW FUCKING HARD IT IS TO STAY MAD AT YOU!"

Souji looked back at his face, shocked to find that his eyes were welling up with tears.

"WHERE DO YOU GET OFF, HUH! ACTING LIKE YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE THAT LOST SOMETHING! YOU WERE MY FRIEND TOO, DAMNIT! YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO WANTS THINGS BACK TO THE WAY THEY WERE!"

"Y-Yosuke…"

"Shit, man," he muttered, releasing his grasp before turning away and walking a few steps. "What the hell is this? Am I crying?" he asked aloud, wiping his eye with his sleeve. "Damn, I must be total sap."

Souji hesitated for a moment before finding and putting on his glasses. He slowly stood up, still unsure whether he should approach his old friend.

"Yosuke… Do you forgive-?"

Before he could finish a sharp gust of cold wind hit him from behind, almost pushing him back onto the ground. It was only when it subsided that he noticed the cool October air hitting his neck. Reaching to his collar he noticed that his scarf was gone, the wind having blown it off. It took him only a moment to see that it was being held by Yosuke, probably after landing on him. They both stood there motionless, both gazing back at each other with a look of confusion and expectation on their faces. After a moment more Yosuke slowly walked toward him, stopping at arm's length before extending his hand to give Souji his scarf. Souji hesitated a moment before reaching out and grasping the article of clothing, only to have Yosuke quickly grab his sleeve and pull Souji towards him. Souji was surprised to find that Yosuke had wrapped his other arm around him in a firm, one-armed hug.

"I don't know if 'forgive' is the right word. I can't just pretend this never happened," Yosuke began. "But, I want to move on. For things to be back to the way they were. I want my best friend back, too."

Souji felt like a great weight had be lifted off of him, as though a great chaos had suddenly and inexplicably righted itself. He responded to Yosuke's "bro hug" with the same, a short moment of reconciliation between them before they both let go. He gazed down at his scarf, no clasp with his own hand and smiled.

"Sins forgiven with an autumn wind," he muttered.

Yosuke snerked. "Dude, do you have any idea how fucking sappy that sounds?"

"Can't help it. Ever since I decided to be a writer I've become one of those poetic 'hopeless romantic' types," he responded as he wrapped the long cloth around his neck again.

"Dude, I've known you were a hopeless romantic since I found out you were trying to keep a long distance relationship with Naoto."

"Heh. Yeah, I guess so. So what now?"

Yosuke grinned. "How about we celebrate? Wanna get plastered?"

Souji grimaced. "After what happened last time? Count me out!"

"Oh, come on! We can have a guys' night out, can't we? Besides, I owe you for decking you to the ground."

Souji groaned and shook his head. "Well, alright," he answered. He smirked and added, "I better go just to keep my eye on you. If you end up getting wasted and hitting on some girl and Chie finds out, you won't live to see morning."

"Ouch. Seriously. You think I'd do that?" he asked, feigning a heart pain. "Just 'cause I didn't go all 'star-crossed-lovers' like you did with Naoto doesn't mean I'd consider ever cheating on Chie. That's why I've got this thing, remember?" he said, motioning to the piece of metal around his left ring finger.

"All the same, I'd better keep a look out for her sake and yours. You might've matured, but still aren't 'mature' as far as I'm concerned."

Yosuke glared in an unsuccessful attempt to hide his grin. "Dude, you can be a real dick sometimes."

Souji chuckled. "I know. Pretty sure I picked it up from you."


End file.
